Galaxy Boy Troop (partially found Japanese puppet TV series; 1963-1965)

Cover of a very rare audio book.

Status: Partially Found

Galaxy Boy Troop (銀河少年隊 - Ginga shounen-tai) was a Japanese TV series created by famed cartoonist/animator Osamu Tezuka. It was a combination of animated scenes and puppet characters, using the "supermarionation" method popularized by Thunderbirds.

Airing on NHK from April 7, 1963, until April 1, 1965, it ran 92 episodes.

The plot centered around young Rob, who led a squad of heroes around the galaxy in order to revive the Earth's sun and then to protect it from alien invaders. As typical of Osamu Tezuka, some of the characters had appearances/designs that are also used in many of his other creations (such as the mustached "Higeoyaji").

Only one full episode is known to survive today, that was found in France with French subtitles. It was renamed here Le Commando de la Voie Lactée ("Commando of the Milky Way"). Research seems to indicate that this episode is the 67th episode of the series. The storyboard from episode 28 and animation sequences from Episode 87 also exist, but there is no audio for the latter. ^[1]

Despite its limited run, the show still had a bit of merchandise: an audiobook with a CD (called a "phonomanga") and at least one coloring book.

Gallery

The audio book in comparison in size with a lighter.
Audio book with CD: lighter for comparison size.
Inside the audiobook, with comic panels.
Inside the audiobook.
Inside the audiobook: the "Higeoyaji" character, recurrent in Tezuka's works.
Inside the audiobook: better quality.
Book about all the Puppet TV Shows that aired on NHK: Rob can be seen in the middle.
An old still, in an "animated" portion.
The audiobook near a magazine showing some of the original puppets.
A very rare coloring book. The cover.
Back of the rare coloring book.
Inside the coloring book.